Oven for the continuous baking of cores or the like



Aug. 15, 1944.

c. F. MAYEIRO OVEN FOR THE CONTINUOUS BAKING OF CORES OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet l V J R O Y m N\ m m *NWHLII lLlllll ll 1 I m N Qmw M 2 W 4 w I Y A. 3 B V L w s d e 1 i F 9m m M1. 13%.. b\ H mm U QUE .lll III F lllr Aug. 15, 1944. c. F. MAYER 2,355,814

OVEN FOR THE CONTINUOUS BAKING OF CORES OR' THE LIKE Filed Sept. 5, 1942 5 SheetsSheet 2 I'lllllll UNLOADING STATION INVENTOR ATTORNEYS lllllllllwlllllllix .1 1 1111 11 1 1 11 111 1511:1111-111M111:11-11-111-1511-1-1:: 1 l- ,1 zo .r .rn. mz o oE .1.\ .U .[fiQW Aug. 15, 1944. c. F. MAYER 2,355,314

OVEN FOR THE CONTINUOUS BAKING OF CORES OR THE LIKE 7 Filed Sept. 3, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

AU 9 M M ATTORNEYJ.

Aug. 15, 1944.

c. F. MAYER 2,355,814

OVEN "FOR THE CONTINUOUS BAKING OF GORES OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 5, 1942' BY L ?s.

" ATTORNEYJ.

' INVENTOR Aug. .15, 1944. v c F. MAYER 2,355,814 I 7' I OVEN FOR THE {sounnuousl BAKING OF CORES OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 3, 1942 'INVENTOR.

and cooling zone.

Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOR THE CONTINUOUS BAKI NG F CORES OR THE LIKE Carl F. Mayer, Lakewood, )hio Application In the baking or drying of intricate cores or molds, such as those used in the casting of air cooled engine cylinders, or similar articles that incorporate numerous relatively thin, deep and a closely spaced integral fins, evaporation or the moisture from those portions of the cores or molds that separate the fin cavities, for example, and wherein the moisture seems to concentrate, is

- very dimcult, and the apparatus heretofore employed for the purpose of drying or baking such cores or molds is inadequate to meet the current demand for speed 01' production.

The fundamental purpose of my invention is to providean-oven for the continuous baking or drying 01' cores or the like that is extremely eflicient and rapid andi'rom which the work is delivered at a relatively low temperature so that by the time it reaches the unloading station it may be readily and comfortably handled. To these ends a tunnel-like passage enclosed by the oven is thermally separate along the course of travel of the work-carriers or racks into a baking or drying zone that is heated to the required high temperature to insure speedy evaporation of the moisture from the work, and a very eifectual cooling zone whereinthe temperature of the work is rapidly reduced from that at which it leaves the baking or drying zone. Means are provided for withdrawing air from certain resinus of the oven that demarcate the limits of the in whole from out of doors, through the cooling zone.

A further object is to provide an arrangement of air distributors or directional means that will cause the air to impinge against the work at such an angle that evaporation of the moisture is enhanced.

The term air, as herein used, especially with reference to the fluid circulated through the baking or drying zone, is intended to include a mixture 0! air with such gasesor vapors as are driven oil in the baking or drying process. The foregoing objects, with other more limited ones that will appear as this description September 3, 1942, Serial No. 451,176- "6Oiain 1s. (o1. lit-66) proceeds, are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, Fig-1, shown in two parts for the sake of employing a scale larger than could otherwise be used, represents a side elevation of my improved oven for baking or drying cores or thelike by the continuous method; Fig. 2, shown in like manner and on the same scale as Fig. 1, represents a plan view oithe oven; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the oven through a portion of the baking or drying zone, the plane of section being indicated by the lines 3-4 of Figs. 2 and 4; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the oven on'the lines 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the oven through a portion of the cooling zone, the plane of section being indi-' cated by the lines 5-4 01' Figs. 2 and 6, and Figs.

6 and 7 are vertical transverse sections through the oven, the planes of the respective sections being substantialLy as indicated by the lines 8-6 a The oven, designated generally by the reierence numeral i, is an elongated casing that is rectangular in cross section and is desirably supported from the floor 2 at a suitable elevation low prevailing practice.

thereabove by a frame structure including pillars 3 and stringers 4. These parts are shown more or less schematically because the structural details iorm no part or the invention and may rol- Partitions 5 and i extend longitudinally of the oven in laterally spaced relation to each other, the respective partitions stopping short of the right and left hand ends of the oven, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a continuous tunnel-like passage is provided through the oven. By reason or this partition arrangement, said passage is set oil into interconnected corridors I, 8 and I. The open or left hand end portion of the corridor 1, and the right hand end portion of corridor 8, are inclined downwardly to substantially floor level, as shown in Fig. l.

The pieces of work, such as cores, molds or the like are adapted to be carried through the oven by an endless conveying means including a work carriers or racks and a chain that connects them and is equipped with supports or trolleys that travel on a suitable track. The conveying present invention. Accordingly, detailed illustration is deemed unnecessary. The chain of 2' aff the conveying means, designated I 5, is conventionally illustrated in the drawings; and near the left hand end of the oven, as the same is viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, said chain is guided over sprockets l6 and N that are rotatably supported in a manner pursuant to common practice, the supporting-parts being omitted from the drawings for the sake .of clearness. q the chain i5-enters the'corridor 1, the trolleys l8 a of .the cohveying means traversing atrack 1'0 7 thetrolleysfis shoWfiih the trans-- Sectional views of Figsdl, .6-and 7. Proceediing; from corridor ,1, the chain passes about a sprocketll into corridor 8 and thence about a sprocket 22 into corridor 9. -Leaving corridor 9 at the right hand end of the oven, the chain l5 passes about a drivesprocket' 25, from where it extends about a take-up sprocket 26, and finally about an idler sprocket 21 that 'is shown as being in such relation to the first mentioned 20 sprocket [6 as to dispose the flight of chain between said sprockets 21 and I6 substantially parallel to'the front of the oven." It will be understood that the track 20 follows the entire course of the chain l5 outside as well as inside the 25 -oven.. By suitablemeans (not shown), such as an electric motor and appropriatedrivmg connections, the sprocket 25 is driven so as to propel the work conveying meansin the direction indicated by the arrows a in Fig. 2. According to the arrangement illustrated, a loading station (so-des- :ignated in Fig. .2) may be situated along the flight of. the conveying means in front of the oven, while an. unloading station '(so' marked) may be located along the flight of the chain be-h I tween the drive sprocket 25. and the; take-up sprocket 26. It will be understood that the latter sprocket is so mounted that it may be shifted bodily toward and from the. drive sprocket to take up undue slack in the chain and maintain it ina suitable taut condition. Take-up mechj anisms suited to the purpose are common and ,Well in the art.

1. Work carriers or racks 30 are spaced equal distances apart throughout the length of the chain. [5 and are adapted to sustain the cones,

a the unloading station:

Those walls and. partitions of the oven I that enclose the baking or drying zone are heat-insulated, as indicated in the drawings, in order to better conservethe heat. Located upon and disposed transversely of the top of the oven nearits left hand end is a manifold 35 (Figs. 1, 2 and 7) which communicates with exhaust headers 38 in the rear corridor. 9' and a similar header 31 in the front corridor 1. The outletof the manifold 35 joins the intake of a-centrifugalblower 38 that is driven, through a belt-39, by an electric motor 40'. Said blower discharges'into a stack 4| that preferably leads to'the outside of the building,

as through the roof. The two exhaust headers 36 define one end, and the exhaust header flde lines the other end of the baking or drying zone,

the part of the corridor "I in advance of the header 3! constituting the entrance area. of the 7 oven, and the portion of the corridor abeyond or to the right of the headers 38, as the parts are viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, constituting the cooling zone. Beginning a short distance to the right of the manifold 35, the roof of the oven, throughout 1;

From the sp -Q et l the remainder of the corridor ion-in other words, that portion of said corridor which constitutes the cooling zone) is made up of hoods 42,

shown as Pyramidal, and rising therefrom are stacks 43 within which are exhaust fans 44, preferably drivenbyindividual motors, as indicated. The hoods l2 and the rear wall of the oven throughout the length of said hoods may be constructed of sheet metal so as to enhance dissipation of the-heat given off by the work, provided the resultant heating of the space-adjoin; ing the oven is not objectionable. The bottom wall-0f that portion of the oven at present under -consideration, also, may be constructed of sheet metal and the same is shown as provided with a longitudinal slot 48, toward and from which a damper 49 is adapted to be adjusted by mechanism designated 50 in Fig. 4.

"Extending a suitable distance along that portion of the tunnel-like passage that constitutes the baking or drying zone are supply ducts 55 let of a centrifugal blower BI and is adapted to be driven, through a belt 62, by an electric motor 63. The inlet of the blower 6| has communicative connection with an air heater 84 to which air is conducted, through a conduit 65, from recovery ducts 88 that extend along the front and rear sides of the corridors I and 8, near the top thereof, and above the supply ducts 55.

Air is supplied to the cooling zone by a centrifugal blower III, to the outlet of which is connected a manifold II that leads to cold air supply ducts I2. These ducts extend along the front and rear sides of that. portion'of the corridor S. that constitutes the cooling zone, said ducts being located adjacent the bottom wall of said and the same is in operation at all times the oven is in use, as are also the centrifugal blowers ll,

61 and Ill, and the driving sprocket 25. In the useor the oven, undried work, such as green cores or-molds, are placed upon the work carriers or racks .30 at the loading station," so marked in Fig. 2. As the chain, to which the work -.carriers or racks 30 are connected, moves relasupply ducts 55 and risers 51, the air from the.

risers being directed through the openings 58 or drying zone. may drop slightly as the work continues on thereof against the work sustained by thecarriers or racks 30. When the work consists of inassasm tricate cores or molds of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, the air is effectively projected into the cavities and interstices thereof. As the work proceeds through thecorridor 1 and returns .to the acted upon by the currents of hot air and is effectively baked or driedby the time it reaches thecorridor 9. Simultaneously with the delivery of the highly heatedfair tosthe baking or dryingzone, the spent air, laden with vapors or Eases driven off from ;the work, is drawn out through the openings of the recoveryduct 66 and is conveyed from said ducts through the conduit 65 to the heater 64. Here the air is reheated, after which it is recirculated through the baking The temperature of the work through the portion of the corridor 9 in advance aforesaid locations constituting a heating zone, the said zone including parts of adjacent corricdors, one of .the aforesaid locations being distant ;from theoutlet of thepassage and the portion of ,other end of the oven through corridorB, it is i the passage between the last mentioned location and said outlet constituting a cooling zone, air supply means and air recoverymeans extending along said heating zone, anair heating and circulating system comprising air heating means and air impelling means and conduits leading from said air heating and impelling means to the 'aforesaid air supply and recovery means, the

of the exhaust headers 36, and, passing said headers, it enters the cooling zone. v Here, the

heat that is given oif-by the workis quickly dissipated, rising immediately. into the elevated space provided by the hoods that form the roof of that portion of the corridor 9, that constitutes conduits including manifolds disposed transversely of the oven structure and communicating withsaid air supply and recovery means of adjacent corridors, and means for forcing fresh air through the cooling zone.

2. An oven enclosing an elongated tunnel-like passage that is open at its ends, one of said ends being the inlet and the other the outlet of said passage, conveying means for continually carrying work through said passage in a direction from the cooling zone. This action is enhanced by the draft through the stacks 43,,especia1lywhen intensified by the action of the fans 44. At the same time, air, preferably fromout of doors, is

forced into thecooling-zone by the blower 10, u

- the outlet of .Which is connected, through the manifold 1l,.with the ducts 12. Identical with the previously described action of the hotair, the cool airis discharged from'the openings 15 of the risers II in a'direction to cause it to impinge against the work supported bythe carriers or racks 30. Ifdesired, air. may be admitted to the'cooling zonethrough theslot in the bottom wall thereof by loweringtthe damper. 49 by means of the mechanism 50.

While the invention is notlimited to any particular size and proportion of parts, or to specific r temperatures, it may be explained, in order to convey to those skilled in the art a more definite or practical understanding of the invention that,

said inlet toward said outlet, exhaustmeans communicating with said passage at a location intermediate its ends, the portions of the passage between its inlet andsaid-location and between said location and its outletkconstituting, respectively, a heating zone and a cooling zone, means 1 for heating and circulating air through the heating zone, means for exhausting air from the cooling zone, air supply ducts extending along the sides of the cooling zone adjacent the bottom thereof, risers surmounting and communicating with said supply ducts, the risers beingprovided with openings, and work supports incorporated in the aforesaid conveyingmeans that areasranged tosustain the 'work in such relation to the openings of theaforesald risersas to cause the air currents issuing from said openingsto im- I pinge against certain partsofthe work. f -3. Anoven enclosing 'an elongated tunnel-like passage that is open at its ends, one or said ends I beingtheinlet and the other the outlet of said passage, exhaust means communicating with said.

passage at locations remote from each other therealong, the portion of the passage between in the embodiment shown, the oven is approximately 170' long, 17' wide, something over 8' high, and, except for the inclined portions thereof,- is sustained by the supporting structure approximately I l feet above the floor. Sizes of other parts may be judged from the foregoing. A practical baking or drying'temperatu're is around 400 to 450 F., while the cooling temperature may C range between 70 and 150 Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:"

1. An oven structure enclosing an elongated tunnel-like passage that is open at its ends, one of said ends being the inlet andthe other the outlet of said passage, conveying means for continually carrying work through said passage in a direction from said inlet toward said outlet, the ovenstructure being such that said passage turns back and forth upon itself to provides, plurality or corridors disposed in side by side relation, exhaust means communicating with different corridors at locations remote from each other along the passage but adjacent each other transversely of the oven structure, a relatively short, manifold communicating with said exhaust means of the different corridors, suction means wherewith the outlet of the manifold communisaid locations constituting a heating zone, one or said locations being distant from theoutlet of the passage and the portion of the passage between said one location and said outlet constituting a cooling zone, air supply ducts and air recovery ducts extending along the heating zone, the same being provided with openings, the supply ducts being adjacent the bottom and therecovery ,ducts' adjacent the top of said heating zone, risers communicating with the supply ducts and extending upwardly on opposite sides or the heating zone, the risers being provided with V openings, work carrying means for continually conveying work through the,passage and for supporting it in such relation to the openings of the aforesaid risers as to cause the air currents issucates, the portion of the passage between the 7| ing from said openings to impinge against certain .parts of the work, and means for forcing system comprising air heating means and air impelling means and conduits leading from said air heating. and impelling means to the aforesaid air supply and recovery means, the conduits including manifolds disposed transversely of the oven structure and communicating with said air supply and recovery means of adjacent corridors.

5. An oven structure enclosing an elongated tunnel-like passage that is open at its ends, one of said ends being the inlet and the other the outlet of said passage, the oven structure being such that said passage turns back and forth upon itself to provide a plurality of corridors disposed in side-by-side relation, exhaust means communicating with diflerent corridors at locations remote from each other along the passage but adjacent each other transversely of the oven structure, a relatively short manifold communicating with said exhaust means of the different corridors, suction means wherewith the outlet of the manifold communicates, the portion of the passage between the aforesaid locations constituting a heating zone, the said zone including parts of adjacent corridors, air supply ducts and air recovery ducts extending along the heating zone, the supply ducts and recovery ducts being provided with openings, the supply ductsbeing adjacent the bottom, and the recovery ducts adjacent the top of said zone, risers communicatin with the supply ducts and extending upwardly on opposite sides or the heating zone, the risers being provided with openings, an air heatingand-circulating system comprising air heating means and air impelllng means and conduits leading from said air heating and impelling means to the aforesaid air supply ducts, and work carrying means for continually conveying work through the passage and for supporting it in such relation to the openings of the aforesaidrisers as to cause the air currents issuing from said openings to impinge against certain parts of the work.

6. An oven enclosing an elongated tunnel-like passage that is open at its ends, one of said ends being the inlet and the other the outlet of said passage, conveying means for continually carrying work through said passage in a direction from said inlet toward said outlet, exhaust means communicating with said passage at a location intermediate its ends,'the portions of the passage between its inlet and said location and between said location and the outlet of the passage constituting, respectively, a heating zone and a cooling zone, means communicating with the heating zone adjacent the top thereof for recovering air from said zone, means adjacent the top of the cooling zone for exhausting air from said zone, air supply ducts extending along the sides of both the heating zone and the cooling zone adjacent the bottoms thereof, risers surmounting and communicating with said supply ducts, the risers being provided with openings, air heating means, a conduit leading therefrom to the air supply ducts of the heating zone, means for supplying air to the supply ducts of the cooling zone, and

work supports incorporated in the aforesaid conveying means that are arranged to sustain the work in such relation to the openings of the aforesaid risers as to cause the air currents issuing from said openings to impinge against certain parts of the work.

CARL F. MAYER. 

